About This Coffee
José Humberto González Morales is the third-generation of Morales’ to cultivate coffee at Finca La Montañita. Jose’s grandfather, Fernando Morales was the first to own and operate the farm. The farm was then inherited by his daughter, María Gregoria Morales. María married Humberto de Jesús González Toledo and together, they trained their son, José to inherit the farm from them.
This coffee comes from Los Narajanles, a specific segment of Finca La Montañita.
Cultivation
José is a knowledgeable and capable producer. In addition to his formal training as an agronomist, José has a lifetime of experience on the farm. He has been focused on experimenting with ways to adapt coffee farming for the changing climate. He discovered the mutation of Pache San Ramon on his farm and began collaborating with Anacafe (the National Coffee Association of Guatemala) to develop and disseminate the variety throughout Guatemala.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherry is selectively handpicked and ripe, red cherry is laid to dry on raised beds. Cherry is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 18 to 25 days for cherry it to dry. Once dry, cherry is placed in bags and rested on the farm for 3 months or less. Then, it’s transported to the dry mill to be milled and prepared for export.
Coffee in Guatemala
Guatemala boasts a variety of growing regions and conditions that produce spectacular coffees. Today, the country is revered as a producer of some of the most flavorful and nuanced cups worldwide. We are proud to work with several exceptional in-country partners to bring these coffees to market.
The Guatemalan coffee industry experienced a major setback with the 2010 appearance of Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) in Latin America. The epidemic peaked in severity in 2012, and though CLR continues to affect some farms, Guatemala continues to produce high-quality, record-breaking coffees. In 2017, new and varied processing methods pushed prices at the Guatemalan Cup of Excellence contest to record highs.
The quality of coffee being produced in Guatemala is increasing, overall, due to the diversity of the industry’s producers. There are more and more small holder farmers producing exceptional coffee at high altitudes. Cooperatives are becoming more appealing to so many smallholders because they often offer farmers financing and other support for improving their farming and processing and are frequently able to offer higher prices for cherry than middlemen. Many cooperatives have initiated quality improvement training for farmer members and are becoming more adept at helping members market their coffee as specialty.